A. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to the art of methods and apparatuses relating to vehicle passenger doors and more particularly to methods and apparatuses regarding the opening and storage of a vehicle passenger door to simulate a motorcycle feel.
B. Description of the Related Art
Motorcycles are well known vehicles that many people enjoy riding. One aspect of enjoyment is the “open-air” feeling the rider gets while riding the motorcycle. While many motorcycles work well for their intended purpose, they have disadvantages. One disadvantage is the lack of protection from weather conditions. Another disadvantage, for some people, is the lack of stability that such a two-wheeled vehicle provides when compared to a four wheeled vehicle, such as an automobile.
Vehicles having three or more wheels are also well known and they too generally work well for their intended purpose. The use of three or more ground engaging wheels provides the stability that some people desire. Such vehicles generally have a passenger compartment with passenger doors by which persons may enter and leave the passenger compartment. The use of a passenger compartment provides protection from weather conditions. One disadvantage, however, of passenger compartments and passenger doors is that they do not provide the open-air feeling that some people enjoy.
In an effort to provide the open-air feeling to a vehicle having a passenger compartment, it is known to provide manually removable passenger doors. The passenger door removal and reattachment processes, however, are tedious and time consuming. Additionally, storage of the passenger doors after they have been removed from the vehicle is also a problem. One option is to store such a passenger door in the vehicle's trunk or storage compartment. This option, however, may not be an option if the passenger door or doors do not fit within the vehicle storage compartment. Even if they do, it is difficult and time consuming to move the passenger doors between the normal operating condition and the vehicle storage compartment. Another option is to store such a passenger door outdoors. This option, however, has the disadvantages of subjecting the passenger door to the weather, vandalism, and theft. It is also possible that such disassembled passenger doors may be considered an eye sore. Yet another option is to store such a passenger door in some other storage facility, such as a garage. This option, however, has the disadvantage of taking up the storage facility space which otherwise could be used for other purposes. This option also has the disadvantage, if the passenger has taken the vehicle away from the storage facility, of leaving the passenger exposed to the elements during inclement weather while riding in the vehicle.
Therefore, what is needed is a passenger door that can be: (1) used as a typical passenger door in providing access to the passenger compartment; and (2) easily adjusted to a stored condition on the vehicle whereby the vehicle can easily achieve the open-air feeling without the storage problems noted above.